that was then, this is now
by kyls
Summary: Isabel tells Michael about Vilandra, and gets some much needed support. Takes place during and after their scene in Max in the City.


This is a Michael/Isabel fic, although it's more friendship than relationship. It takes place during and after the scene in Max in the City (The extended version that was scripted but not filmed.)

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Thank you for dining at the Crashdown." Maria cheerfully told a couple as they received their change and headed for the door. The last few customers were leaving, and Liz and Maria began to clean the restaurant.

Isabel still sat alone at one of the tables, lost in thought, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Startled, she looked up to see Michael, who had just finished his shift for the night.

"Hey." Michael greeted as he slid into the chair across the table from her, looking concerned.

"Two days and not a word." Isabel told him, worried.

"Your parents asking questions?"

"They think he's off on another camping trip." Isabel answered.

"They must think he's turning into a tree-hugger."

Isabel knew Michael was trying to lighten the situation, but she couldn't shake her bad feelings away. About Max... about Vilandra. "They think he'd rather spend Thanksgiving away from his family," she said bitterly. "He could've at least said goodbye."

"You know Max. Something's up his ass. It probably doesn't have anything to do with you. It's probably about..." Michael gestured towards Liz, who was working across the room.

Isabel's eyes followed and landed on Liz. She sighed and shook her head slightly. "He said good-bye to her. Something's wrong. He's...angry with me."

Michael looked confused. "What could he possibly have to be angry about with you?"

Isabel quickly averted her eyes from Michael's and replied, "I don't know." But she knew it didn't fool Michael for a second.

"Isabel..."

"What?" she snapped.

"Easy" said Michael, raising both hands in the air in a defence gesture. "Look, I can see there's something going on here... you don't want to tell me about it -- fine. But...just know that...I'm here for you."

He slid his hand across the table to where Isabel's hand rested, and placed it over hers. Looking down at their hands, Isabel felt comforted. A kind of comfort only Michael could make her feel. As she lifted her head and their eyes locked, she knew she could confide in him.

"There is... something." She finally admitted. "About... Vilandra..."

A few tables over, Maria started to noisily move aside some chairs, and began sweeping the floor underneath the table. Isabel felt interrupted, and knew Michael felt the same as he slowly pulled his hand away from hers.

With a sudden need to get out of there, Isabel asked "Can we..?"

Understanding straight away, Michael nodded at her. "Yeah.. yeah."

They both rose from the table, Isabel heading straight for the door while Michael turned to Maria.

"Hey, we're uh, outta here."

The cold air hit them as soon as Isabel pushed open the door, Michael stepping outside right behind her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to get a bit warmer. Michael, dressed only in his work clothes, just shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Where do you wanna go?" he asked her.

Isabel could only shrug, so Michael glanced around quickly and then looked back to her. "I know. Come on, I'll drive." He headed toward the jeep that was parked only a few metres away and Isabel followed. Silently, they slid into their seats – Isabel in the passenger seat and Michael behind the wheel. She didn't question where they were headed; all she cared about was that Michael was there with her.

The rest of their 10 minute journey was spent in the same silent manor in which it had begun. Isabel noticed Michael glancing her way several times, but he said nothing. She began going over in her head what she was going to say to Michael. She didn't even know where to start. She was drawn out of her thoughts when she noticed the car slowing down and then stopping. They were outside Michael's apartment.

"I'm uh, just going to get changed." Michael said as they walked through his front door. It sounded to Isabel as if he didn't want to leave her alone even for the few minutes it was going to take him. "I'll be right back." He called over his shoulder as he headed to his bedroom.

Isabel wandered into Michael's kitchen and pulled two mugs down from the cabinet. She had been there enough times to know where everything was. Normally she would just heat the water with a wave of her hand, but today she felt like doing it the human way. As she waited for the water to boil she began to move around the kitchen, putting things away and tidying up. She noticed Michael's presence when he emerged from his room, but pretended she hadn't, and continued on. She felt his eyes on her, following every move she made as she finished making their drinks.

"Tea?" She asked, finally acknowledging that she knew he was there. She looked up to where he stood against the doorframe, dressed in a grey shirt, denim jacket and khaki coloured pants.

"Thanks."

As he gripped the cup she handed him, he brushed his thumb against hers and looked into her face. "Is.."

Isabel forced herself to take a few deep breaths. "Michael.." She let go of the cup and pulled her arm back to her side. "Do you think if we remembered.. who we were before, everything we'd done.. that we'd become like them. _Be_ them."

Michael's was immediately alert and curious at the mention of their other lives. "You remember something?"

Isabel frowned slightly, and, leaving her cup on the counter, walked over to Michael's couch where she sat down. "Not exactly."

She glanced back at Michael, who came over to sit next to her on the couch.

"Whitaker. She told me things." When this was met with silence, she continued, "and Nicholas"

"About Vilandra?"

Isabel nodded, and looked down at her hands. The sound of Vilandra's name from Michael's lips just made her feel guiltier.

"I.. she.. was engaged to you. The kings second in command. But she fell in love with the enemy. Khivar."

Isabel looked up to see Michael nodding, taking this in. She had no idea how he would feel about the next part of the story.

"And then she betrayed her family."

Michael looked surprised, but only for a moment.

"She sacrificed them. She's the reason they died, Michael." Isabel continued, with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Hey.." Michael shuffled across the couch, closer to Isabel, and draped his arm around the back of her neck.

"Isabel, Whitaker and Nicholas.. those guys were our enemies. We don't know if we can believe anything that they might have told us."

Isabel sniffled and moved a little more into Michael's embrace. "I know that. But," she paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "I feel it. It's the truth."

They sat in silence for a good few minutes, before Michael spoke up.

"That question you had before," he said, waiting until she looked at him to go on." Well, at some point we were them. But that was a long time ago, and a whole galaxy away. It's not who we are now, and never will be. It's everything we do here in this life that matters and you're one of the best people I know. Believe that."

Isabel's tears had now started to stream down her face, touched at Michael's heartfelt words. She knew all too well that he wasn't one for showing emotion, and that made her appreciate it all the more. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek; pulling back only a few inches too look into his deep brown eyes. "Thank you." She whispered.

They resumed their previous position, and she dropped her head to rest on his chest.

"Hey, Michael."

"Mmm?"

"Can I stay here with you for a little while?"

"Course. As long as you'd like, Is."


End file.
